November 14, 2017

A Bedford Park, Toronto Backyard Garden Fall Cleanup

Tidy Up Quickly, Winter's Coming (er, it Actually Arrived!)

Another couple of weeks before this work season is finished and the fall cleanups just keep coming! Working in the cold is tough enough but add a bit of rain/sleet/snow and it really becomes hard slogging.We had a "flash freeze" last week where several nights had temperatures plummet to -15 Celsius. It's rare to have such low temperatures in November here in Toronto. I worked the morning after the storm rolled in and I can safely say, it sucked. Perennials I'm cutting down have turned to mush and containers I'm trying to empty now hold solid blocks of soil and ice.Today's post covers a fall cleanup in the Bedford Park neighbourhood of Toronto. I visit the property in the spring and fall to keep things looking halfway decent. It's a rental property so the gardens are left to their own devices so I never really know what to expect in terms of maintenance.The backyard has a pool so I'm responsible for weeding and pruning the perennials and shrubs in the narrow side beds as shown below.

More peonies and hydrangeas to cut down in this narrow bed

I don't mind leaving these "Annabelle" smooth hydrangea flowers alone for the winter but the client said, more or less, "off with their heads!"

These mophead hydrangeas (Hortensia) normally still keep their leaves in early November but the freezing temperatures have turned them almost black

The back corner is simply covered in mulch

If you can help it, just leave these ornamental grasses alone over winter. But the client wanted all the perennials cut down, so....

Frozen and thawed hosta leaves. It's a shame that this blue leaved variety ("Halcyon"?) never had a chance to turn a mellow yellow colour. It's all a mess of mushy leaves and stems.

And afterwards....

Toronto Gardening Services Bedford ParkGarden Fall Clean up after

Bedford Park Toronto Garden Fall Clean up after

Bedford Park Toronto Garden Fall Cleanup after

Bedford Park Backyard Fall Clean up after

Bedford Park Backyard Fall Cleanup after

Fall Cleanup Bedford Park Toronto after

I bid this garden adieu until next spring. I'm sure there will be many weeds to greet me then!